Longsjo gets warm welcome in Leominster

LEOMINSTER -- Susan Pelton could hardly contain her excitement for the inaugural Longsjo criterium as she stood on the sidelines Friday afternoon.

Pelton, of Fitchburg, was watching her 15-year-old granddaughter, Victoria Gates, race in her first ever Longsjo Classic.

"We're all so proud of her. I think she's very excited to be here, riding a race so close to her hometown," Pelton said before Gates took to the course Friday. "This is such a great experience for her. She's thrilled that this race is back and she can participate in it."

Pelton can't remember Gates not being on a bike, and while she admittedly gets nervous every time her daughter gets on one, she knows how much it means to her.

"She's been doing this for awhile now, and it's definitely her whole life. I can absolutely see her going pro at some point," she said. "I am just over the moon with pride right now. She took to cycling like a duck to water. It's such a joy to know she's participating in a sport she absolutely loves."

Leominster resident Justin Brooks said he was upset to see the race be canceled two years in a row and thought it was a great opportunity for Leominster to get involved.

"I mean, look at this. This is such a great opportunity for this city. Look what it's done. It's bringing attention back to the downtown area," he said while watching the race Friday night.

"Summer is when things really pick up for this city.

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You had Starburst to sort of kick things off and then you had the Summer Stroll last weekend. It's just great to see the city doing so well," he said. "If you want a city where things are always going on, Leominster is absolutely the place for you to be, especially this time of year."

He said the Longsjo had for years been an event just in Fitchburg, and he liked the idea of it now straddling both cities and drawing both communities in.

"I know this race means a lot to the people of Fitchburg. Leominster is sort of the center of this area. I don't want to take anything away from Fitchburg, but it's nice to have this here, too," he said.

For other people, like Nicole Florio of Ashby, attending the Longsjo Race had always been a tradition for her, and she was excited to see it come back.

"This race is such a great thing for this area. I used to go to the race in Fitchburg and it's nice to have it back," she said. "I was excited when I found out it was coming back, and it was coming here. This city needs something like this."

She said the city administration always does a good job of putting together events that bring people together.

"It's things like this that really bring the community together. I think it's nice to see everyone walking around downtown, getting to enjoy what this city has to offer," she said.

Jack Lemoina, of Leominster, said he was interested in going to the race to see what it was all about.

"It's interesting to come out here and see things like this happening in the city. I think it's a good thing for this city," he said. "It's something to do for fun, it's healthy exercise, and bike riding is always good for the environment."

Burlington, Vt., residents Helen Hollenbach and Liz Hollenbach were both on hand to cheer on their family members riding in the race.

"This had always been a staple of New England racing and an important race for a lot of riders," Helen Hollenbach said. "This is a strong field for all of these riders and we wanted to be here to support them."

Mayor Dean Mazzarella rode in the pace car for one of the amateur races, and said after that he couldn't be more proud with the way the day went off.

"This city is just incredible and the people who come out for this kind of stuff is just great," he said. "We were able to shut down the downtown at 5 p.m. and get everything set up in time. We wanted to make this really special for people. It's something we can do together with the city of Fitchburg. I think we have enough reason to believe this will be back for the years to come."

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